Reel structure



- F. T/NEALE.

REEL STRUCTURE. APPLICATIO-N FILED DEC- 3. 1920.

Patented July 19 1921.,

a mm, rsrnv l: .srnucrt specification of Letters Patent.

,orr

Patented d'vl t9, 192i...

Application nee December a, rare. Serial No. teaser.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, FRANK T. NnALn, residing at Carnegie in the county of Alla gheny and State of hennsylvania, a citizen of the United States, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Reel Structures, of which improvements the following is a specification.-

My invention relates to improvements in reel structures, and is particularly applicable to reels such as are used in mills for rolling steel strip, mills for drawing wire, and elsewhere. the accompanying drawings 1 show. the invention applied to a reel for coiling steel strip as it comes from the rolls of a rolling mill. It will of course he understood that thisshowing is exemplary, and. that the invention is not limited to a real for that particular purpose, but is applicable to reels generally, where conditions are such as to recommend its use.

In the accompanyin drawings Figural shows the reel in en elevation; Fig. H shows it in medial and longitudinal section. v

The reel consists essentially of two parts or members, a member 1 of general cylindrical contour, and a member 2 which is the drum proper, the material-carrying member, of the reel. A shaft 3 supports the c lindrical member 1, and on it the cylindrical member is idly rotatable. The cylindrical member 1 in turn is a support and guide for the expansible and collapsibleportions of the drum, for the reel is essentlally an expansible and collapsible reel, to the end that, when full it may be collapsed, permitting of the easy removal of the coil wound upon 1t.

The cylindrical member 1 is accord 11 ly provided with a plurality of radial slots at which constitute 'deways for the collapsible and expansib e members of the drum.

Any number of uch slideways may be provided, corresponding of course to the number of drum members. The structure of the n I possesses three such slideways, arranged at uadrant intervals about the periphery of t e cylindrical member, and in place of a fourth slideway a clamp tor the material is provided, a more particular description of which will be "ven at a later point in this specification. t is desirable that the'reel be as light in weight as is consistent with strength and rdingly a will be observed of the cylinder 1 o that it is made of skeleton form, with continuous hub and with spokes and rims at opposite ends. In the rims the radial slots d are formed, which already have been characterized. r 1

The drum member is composed of the drum segments 5 provided with radially extending necks. These necks enter the slots a in the skeleton cylindrical member:

1. The drum segments are capable of slidcal member 1 and the drum'member 2, are

mounted on a common axis; that they have within a limited range the capacity of rotation, the one relativel to the: other; and that as they so relatlvely rotate, the expansible and collapsible drum expands or collapses-expanding as the relative rotation is in one direction, collapsing as it is in the opposite direction. Looking at the drum as shown in Fig. I it appears in expanded condition; it now the cylindrical member 1 be rotated in anticlockwise direction relatively to drum member 2, or if member 2-0;", more correctly speaking, it the shaft 3 and the collars 6 of the an member-be rotated clockwise relatively to the cylindrical member 1 the drum member will be collapsed, the drum segments moving centripetally to diminish the diameter of the drum surface.

Suitable means are provided, conveniently in the form of a spring 8, tending to hold cylinder member]. and drum member 2 normally in that relative positlon which maintains the drum in collapsed position.

Allusion has been made to the spacing of the segments: they extend from c linder member 1 at three of four qua rant points about its periphery. At the fourth quadrant point the body of the cylinder member is advantageously built out, as indicated at 9 in Fig. I, to afford, together with the drum sections 5, a substantially continuous and substantially cylindrical material-receiving surface. To this extent the cylinder member 1 shares in the function of the drum member, 2.

At a suitable point the continuity of the surface of this extension 9 is interrupted by a recess in which are set the jaws of a clamp; while one of these jaws 10 may advantageously be rigidly anchored in the body of the cylindrical member, the other jaw 11 is pivoted in the cylindrical member, as shown. This pivoted and swinging jaw 11 is also pivoted to one of the collars 6 of the drum member, and as Fig. I clearly shows, the doubly pivoted jaw 11 so far resembles toggles 7 that it swings with the relative turning of members 1 and 2. The arrangement is such that the jaws close when the drum member expands and open when it collapses. A springlQ, interposed between jaw 11 and collar 6 serves to cushion the closing of the jaws, and to make compensation for difierences in the thickness of material coiled.

Referring particularly to Fig. II a brake drum 13 appears on the left adjacent the reel as thus far described. This drum is integrated with the cylinder member 1, as

is shown by webs 14 connecting the spokes of the cylinder member with those of the brake drum. Brake drum 13 like cylinder member 1 is idly mounted on shaft 1. The

brake drum is adapted to be engaged by a band brake, not shown.

Operation is as follows: The direction of rotation of shaft 3 to effect winding is, as shown in Fig. I, anti-clockwise. Normally,

as has been said, spring 8 is effective to hold the parts 5 collapsed. If now, the reel be in rotation and if the band be tightened on brake drum 13, immediately, the tension of spring 8 being overcome, drum member 2 will be shifted (in anticlockwise direction) and two particular features of operation will be achieved; the jaws 10, 11 will'close, and the drum member will expand to the position shown in Fig. I.

Accordingly, when the reel, set in proper position relatlvely to a rolling mill, is about to be used, the forward end of the strip to be coiledis introduced between the open aws 10, 11. The brake band is then tightened on brake drum 13, and shaft 3 set in normal rotation.v Iimnediately, the jaws 10, 11 close on the material, the expansible drum segments expand, and, as rotation con tlnues, the material is wrapped upon the now ex anded drum. The speed of rotation of sha 3 is preferably such that the reel tends to take up the material as fast as or somewhat faster than the mill delivers it. Braking power is continued until all slack 1s taken up between reel and mill and unticular strip, to maintain the reel in expanded condition. When, however, the end of. the strip passes from the mill (the brake being released), the tension being now gone, immediately spring 8 will become effective to collapse the reel, opening at the same time the .jaws 10, 11, and the now coiled bundle of strip rests on the reel, free to be removed. 1

I do not limit myself to details of structure: the showing here given is exemplary; in the ensuing claims I define what is of the essence of the invention; if this be employed, the invention will be practised, whatever be the particular construction.

I claim as my invention:

1. A reel structure including two members rotatable on a common axis and having additionally the capacity of rotation the one relatively to the other through a limited range, one of said members being of fixed diameter and the other expansible and collapsible, according as it moves through its range of independent rotation, yielding means normally maintaining the parts in 2; In a reel structure the combination of a rotatable shaft, a collar keyed to said shaft, a barrel idl rotatable on said shaft and provided wit a plurality of radial slideways, and a plurality of drum seg-:

ments with radial necks assembled with the parts already named, the radialnecks extending within *the radial slots in the barrel and connected by toggle connection to said collar, such reel structure'being expansible and collapsible on every diameter.

3. In a reel structure the combination of a shaft, a pair of collars'keyed to said shaft and spaced at an interval one from the other, a plurality of drum segments each provided with radial necks toggle-jointed at opposite ends to said collars, a cylinder member idly mounted on said shaft between the said collars provided with radial guideways into which the necks of said drum segments extend, means engaging one of sald collars and said cylinder member tending to turn said cylinder member in one direction parts as aforesaid, substantially as described.

4. In a reel structure a cylindrical body provided with radial slots, a winding sur face including drum segments with radial necks extensible in said slots, a member rotatable relatively to said cylindrical body and on a common axis with said cylindrical body and operative toggle connection between said rotatable member and said drum segments, substantially as described.

5. In a reel structure, a cylindrical body provided with radial slots, a winding'surface including drum segments with radial necks extensible in said slots, a clamp for material including a jaw pivoted in said cylindrical body, a member rotatable relatively to said cylindrical body and on a common axis with said cylindrical body, operative connections between said rotatable member and said 'drum segments, and between said rotatable member and said pivoted jaw, substantially. as described.

6. In a reel structure, a cylindrical body hollow axially and provided with radial slots, and a winding drum including in its structure a shaft extending through and rotatable within the axial opening in said cylindrical body, a pluralit of drum segments with radial necks extensi ly engaged by the radial slots of said cylindrical member, the said drum segments being connected with their shaft through toggle connections, substantially as described.

7. In a reel structure, the combination of a shaft, a cylindrical body idly mounted on said shaft, a clamp for material borne by s aidcylindrical body, means operated by independent rotation of said shaft relatively to said cylindrical body for closing said clamp, and a brake for said cylindrical body, substantially as described.

8. In a reel structure, the combination of a shaft, a collar keyed to said shaft, a cylindricalbody idly mounted on said shaft on one side of said collar, a brake drum idly mounted on said shaft on the opposite side of said collar and united to said cylindrical body beyond the periphery of said collar, a radial slot in said cylindrical body, a drum segment provided with a radial neck borne in the slot in said cylindrical body, a clamp borne by said cylindrical body, connection between collar and drum segment, whereby rotative movement between shaft and cylindrical body shifts said drum segment radially, connection between collar and clamp, whereby rotative movement between shaft and cylindrical body closes said clamp, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK T. NEALE.

Witnesses:

BAYARD H. Cnnrsrr, FRANCIS J. ToMAssoN. 

